


Someone Will Love You

by GothicPixi



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: A dash of Blupjeans but that's canon bb, Also a bit of Fantasy Racism, Character Study?, Fluff, IPRE as Family - Freeform, Light Angst, M/M, Soulmates AU, Stolen Century Spoilers, TAZ Balance, TAZFW Discord, They Deserve This, davenchurch - Freeform, yikes i know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 12:50:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14112714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothicPixi/pseuds/GothicPixi
Summary: Soulmate marks were common on their planet. People that were destined for each other were born with a unique mark on their body that represented their soulmate’s greatest passion. Every time their passion changed, the mark on their mate would too.---Merle was just a preteen when his mark morphed into a ship in the sky. Davenport wondered what made his soulmate lose faith.





	Someone Will Love You

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a Word War, so shout out to the TAZ Fic Writers discord <3  
> Not proofread because I'm lazy and also impatient.
> 
> Title from: Sorry by Halsey
> 
> Enjoy!

Soulmate marks were common on their planet. People that were destined for each other were born with a unique mark on their body that represented their soulmate’s greatest passion. Every time their passion changed, the mark on their mate would too.

 

Most young folks had family, religion, or art-related marks until their mates were old enough to care about other things besides their parents or crayons or a goddess or staying safe. Merle was just a preteen when his mark morphed into a ship in the sky. His mate wanted to go to space. Merle considered it, but he was raised to appreciate the earth most of all. He assumed his soulmate had a reference to Pan on their body.

 

He applied to the IPRE on a whim, They were scouting for clerics in his area and he technically was one and he really needed a stable income. He liked the idea of the IPRE, and the people who interviewed him. Apparently they liked him too, because he was hired. He learned soon that there were no other Pan worshippers in the entire organization. He understood that - Merle wasn’t too big on Pan at the moment either, just enough to keep his magic going. He wondered if his mate’s mark would switch to the IPRE logo.

 

It had been decades before Merle’s mark changed into something besides the sky. But there on his arm, the morning after he heard about the Starblaster mission, was an image of the Starblaster. His soulmate was part of the IPRE, they had to be. No one outside of it knew. Hell, most of the organization didn’t know, merle just had a lot of pals in high places. Like Lucretia, the kind but shy girl who worked in Records. Or Barry, from Science & Development.

 

Merle applied again on a whim. If his soulmate wanted to get out of this plane, Merle had to try and follow. The one thing he had faith in right now was fate. And Merle got lucky. Apparently no other cleric had the right motives for going to space, to didn’t even have the guts to apply. Merle had already been curious about the mission. He didn’t want to find or meet Pan. He wanted to see what others believed. He wanted to discover new plants. He wanted to support the people making the most important discoveries of their lifetime.

 

\--

 

Davenport wondered what made his soulmate lose faith. His mark was Pan for so long that he just stopped checking for changes. But suddenly, there were vines and flowers on his back where there used to be scripture. He wondered what sort of trauma could have occured, if his mate was alright. If at least his mate still believed in fate.

 

Davenport’s family thought it was silly when he dreamed for the sky. He told his mother once that he wanted to hold the stars in his hands. She said gnome hands weren’t big enough for that. He told his brother once that he wanted to be part of the next big innovation. He said gnome brains weren’t built for that. He told his sister once that he wanted to change the world. She helped him pay for flying lessons. She snuck him outside to watch airshows. She bought him books on constellations and clouds and weather patterns. She said his race didn’t define him. He would fly. He would reach the stars. She held her brother’s hands and told him it was his destiny.

 

The IPRE approached Davenport after his success in school. Not only could he pilot, but he was a brilliant engineer, leader, and star-mapper. He was exactly what they needed. He accepted the offer immediately. His sister said she was proud. His mother asked if she would get grandkids soon, or if he’d just send her model airplanes. Davenport shrugged it all off - if his family still didn’t believe he could go to space, he’d just have to work harder. He had to get up there.

 

It had been years of hard work to become Captain Davenport. He wrote his sister every week. He’d stopped writing the others by then - they didn’t care. When the Light of Creation fell, Davenport knew he was where he needed to be. He was flying, and teaching others to fly. He was running and participating in missions that kept his blood pumping. He thought he wasn’t truly alive unless he was in the air. Some people didn’t treat him to kindly, such a small man with a tidy mustache and bright hair. They underestimated his attitude, his perseverance, and his drive. Flying was his passion for so long, how could he want anything more. He was happy and he was staying where he was.

 

But then he saw the Starblaster, and he knew what he needed to do. It was destiny.

 

\--

 

There wasn’t much question as to who would lead the Starblaster mission. Captain Davenport was the most qualified for the mission, every member of the IPRE agreed. The famous first gnome pilot, the quickest instincts, the perfect execution, the tidiest mustache. Captain Davenport was the only option. But six other spots were open. Merle assumed his soulmate was running for one of those spots. He hoped he didn’t kick them out of the running when he got his formal request to be a member of the crew. The first day of training as the official Starblaster crew was the first time Merle met Davenport in person. He’d seen the man on fantasy TV, and in newspapers, and through word of mouth. Nothing came close to the real thing. Captain Davenport let out a presence that could not be ignored. He knew his strengths, was aware of his prestige, and understood the grave importance of his mission. He and Barry explained how the bond engine worked. The Twins would probably sustain the entire thing easily, but it would be most effective if all of them had closer bonds. That was why the crew was chosen so long before the mission - to establish relationships. They had six months to learn, chat, train, and prepare.

 

The time flew by. They had seem to split into groups: The Twins, The Humans, Merle, and the Captain. Davenport was so busy with other responsibilities that he rarely came to non-mandatory events. He probably had three times the amount of work to do than the others. The twins didn’t seem to trust anyone else and maybe they didn’t want to. The humans, particularly Magnus and Lucretia, seemed to spend more time together than previously. Lucretia had always been a more reserved member of the IPRE, and Magnus was the opposite. They were both young and full of life, even if they spent their time differently. Barry was often dragged along on their exploits, as a supervisor perhaps. Merle preferred to just observe. He thought maybe now wasn’t the right time to encroach himself on these kids. They’d see enough of him during the two month mission. He learned what he could about his crewmates though. He knew that Taako liked to bake while Lup liked to cook, and he knew the distinction. He knew Lucretia drank tea when she was anxious (which was most of the time). He knew Magnus didn’t have a soulmark. He knew Barry couldn’t swim. He knew Davenport always wore his jacket, as if there was something on his back he had to hide. The Captain’s posture never faltered. His body naturally wanted to speak with his hands, but the gnome had trained himself out of the action.  He bit his nails when he was thinking hard.

 

Maybe he’d been focusing a bit too much on the captain, but Dav was the hardest one to find time with. Lucretia could do her work for anywhere, really, and Magnus didn’t even have a full time security job on the main campus. The twins were almost always together, so that was an easy one. Barry was usually holed up in the lab, but could be bribed out with offers of food. He’d keep all of these in mind.

 

The launch date approached, and Merle found that maybe he would miss this planet a bit while he was away. He’d never really thought about the fact that this was the only planet he’d been on, the only plane he’d experienced. He’d return in two months, but he had never before entertained the thought that he was leaving it. He hoped his soulmate was proud of him. His mark was still the Starblaster, and he wondered if any of the crew was his mate. Or perhaps his mate didn’t make it, but still cared deeply about the mission. It was an incredible mission.

 

Magnus X

Lucretia - probably not

Lup or Taako - I hope not

Barry X

Davenport ?

Other - probable

 

\--

 

Davenport’s mark had changed a month before launch date. Suddenly his back, previously vines and gorgeous flowers, was a intricate image of the Starblaster in a black place. He noticed that, instead of stars, there were tiny flowers. Istus be with him, was one of his crew his soulmate?

 

Magnus? No.

Lucretia or Lup? Davenport was not that interested in women.

Taako? He was too much for Davenport to handle. And two twinks? Doubtful.

Barry? Not the worst option, but still a little unsettling to the gnome.

Merle?

 

Merle. Dav had read the cleric’s file. A follower of Pan. A botanist. 

 

Merle Hitower Highchurch.

 

Davenport considered this, in the back of his mind, for weeks. He stared at his back for hours, discussing the pros and cons in his head. Perhaps they would grow closer during the mission. The Captain had to remain professional, of course, but things happened and soulmates were exceptions. Dav decided to just wait and see. But he was hopeful. He was destined for the stars, which meant his mate should be there too. And Merle would be there.

 

When the Hunger struck and the Starblaster left, there was silence on the deck. The first noise came from Lucretia.

 

“My mark is gone.” From where she had fallen in surprise, her dress had shifted, revealing a part of her leg. She caressed her thigh, studying it intensely. “There were books, all over my skin right here. For, for years-” And she started to sob. Davenport was too busy trying to navigate through suddenly unknown space to watch the rest of his crew check themselves. Merle rolled his sleeve up and his mark had changed. Three simple words in practical print:  _ Keep us alive _ .

 

It took a while for all of them to recover. And maybe they didn’t, not completely, but they didn’t expect to. There entire planar system had been consumed. They were all that was left.

 

_ Keep us alive _ .

 

It was a few cycles in when Merle noticed how glued to the wheel Davenport was. The man was skipping meals, losing sleep. They weren’t even in a rougher cycle, in comparison to the few they’d lived through already. Merle brought the man snacks. He started a system so that someone was always on watch, so that the captain could get some rest. He made the man take breaks, and he taught the gnome card games.

 

Davenport started the next cycle with an addition to his mark: along the side of the ship were messy words:  _ Keep the captain well _ .

 

Their fates were set in stone for the captain the first time Merle died. Cycle eight. A lot could grow in eight years. Davenport enjoyed Merle’s company. He enjoyed the simple presence of the man. He felt cared for and supported. He thrived. When they were flying away from the Mushroom Kingdom, Davenport knew the moment his soulmate was “dead”. He felt his soulmark tear from his skin. He couldn’t help the noise he made out of pain.

 

“Captain, are you alright?” Lucretia asked from another part of the console.

 

“Yep.” He replied through gritted teeth, burning eyes locked on the space ahead of them. “Just some, um, back problems.” Not a lie.

 

He knew when Merle was rebuilt by the bond engine because he felt the cooling sensation of his mark reappearing. He didn’t have to turn around to know the engine had succeeded once again, that they had escaped again.

 

_ Keep us alive _ .

 

“We’re talking later, Highchurch.” He called as he avoided an asteroid. This space was more similar to cycle five than their home plane. He heard Merle chuckle.

 

“I suppose that’ll do, Cap’n.”

 

Later didn’t come a few days. When they landed, Barry had been thrown off the ship because he hadn’t stayed inside, so he required medical attention. Dav went with Lup to get samples of the atmosphere and the ground. Once everything was set and that night’s dinner enjoyed, Davenport called Merle ot his office. His office being the desk setup he had setup in his room. The gnome didn’t exactly need a large bed, and it wasn’t even a bed at all. His family had always slept in a large pile of pillows and blankets, and he had carried on that tradition. It was basically an office with a closet and a pile of pillows and blankets in the corner.

 

“What’s up, Dav? Everything alright?” The captain wasn’t sure how to approach this, so he just let out the first thing that came to mind.

 

“Please don’t die again. It was painful.” Merle raised a brow.

 

“I didn’t feel any pain, I assure you. I just disappeared from the church and reappeared on the ship.” Davenport shook his head.

 

“No, you died for a moment. I know for a fact that you did.”

 

“How?”

 

“Please don’t play dumb with me, we both know you are a highly capable individual. Merle, we’re soulmates. You must have figured it out by now.”

 

“So...when I ‘died’, you felt your mark disappear?”

 

“Yes. Not the best distraction while trying to escape the Hunger.”

 

“I could see why that might not be the best. Sorry, Dav, I’ll try harder next time. I’ll die before our last day.” Merle joked with a wink. Davenport sighed.

 

“I would prefer if you didn’t die at all, surprising as that is. I am quite fond of you.”

 

\--

 

The first time Merle died in parlay, the pain was worse than any time Merle died before. Davenport lurched forward, hands clawing at his back as if that would stop it from practically burning.  _ Keep the captain well _ . The old men hadn’t been too secret about their relationship, but they hadn’t exactly brought up the fact that they were soulmates to the rest of the crew. They didn’t really talk about it anymore, now that at least two of their members didn’t have mates. Lucretia was still kinda messed up about the whole thing. They hadn’t talked about it in years. So no one knew exactly why Davenport collapsed when Merle’s dust figure disappeared. 

 

They’d been together for over twenty years. Their marks hadn’t changed. There wasn’t really anything else to be extremely passionate about when in an endless loop of despair. It was incredible that they all still had faith in fate, because this was a cruel joke. They were suffering, their kids were suffering, this was difficult. But Magnus could still make everyone laugh. Taako could still bake a mean batch of chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons. Barry could still rock anything denim. Lup could still set anything on the ship on fire, even if it was supposed to be unburnable. Lucretia could still draw incredible figures that left the crew in awe. Merle could still sing praises to Pan and make plants grows twice their size with just a smile. Davenport could still fly like no one else, and his dry humor still caught the others’ off guard. They were still alive, dammit. Whatever fate was planning made sure of that.

 

They didn’t talk about soulmates until Legato. The end of the cycle saw Lup and Barry, resplendent and so in love. It had been a long time coming. Flames danced up the back of Barold’s neck, a mark he usually tried to hide. Lup’s dress’s high slit revealed the equations all over her upper leg. They played brilliantly. Lucretia was happy, if still a little damaged. The day they landed on the next plane, Davenport called the crew for a meeting.

 

“I know it is a difficult and tense subject, but we do need to have a quick discussion regarding soulmates.” The captain started.

 

“Still no mark!” Magnus reported. Lucretia nodded, face somber.

 

“Same here.”

 

“Ditto.” Taako revealed. “Never had one to begin with.”

 

“Well, you kinda know Bear and I are mates. How about you two old fucks? What’s up with you two?” Lup pointed between Merle and Davenport, who had been dating for decades. Now.

 

“We’re soulmates.” Merle replied simply.

 

“There never really was an appropriate time to share that.” Davenport concurred. “There isn’t much more I wanted to say on the topic, except to make sure that everyone here is aware of everything. That means we make sure everyone is comfortable and supported and loved.”

 

“Ohana means family.” Barry whispered.

 

“Family means no one gets left behind.” Lucretia continued.

 

“Or forgotten.” Everyone joined in.

 

“I love Fantasy Lilo and Stitch.” Taako smiled. “Now can I  _ please _ go sleep? Cha’boy’s body needs to heal again, you know the drill. If I hear any weird noises tonight, someone’s losing a soulmate for a year.”

 

\--

 

Merle wondered when his mark changed from a ship in the sky to a block of static and a single word:  _ Us. _ He didn’t remember any other variations of the mark on his arm. He wondered what the static could mean, but it just made his head hurt. It didn't matter. Hecuba didn’t have a mark, and their beach clan didn’t see the importance of someone who’s greatest passion was static.

 

Lucretia didn’t put any mirrors on the base that allowed Davenport to see his back. They were small and tall and thin enough that he could fix his hair and mustache and collar, but nothing beyond that. Lucretia hid his back for as long as she could. Because it was just sold static, with dots of flowers. That’s what Killian informed her when she asked her first new employee. She couldn’t believe she’d done this to them. For over one hundred years, she’d been without a soulmate. She made them suffer the same thing as her. She wondered if it hurt not to remember as bad as it hurt to lose the mark.

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to add, because I didn't include it in the fic, that Magnus and Taako both got marks in the Final Cycle.  
> Magnus - a hammer and a pair of tongs. Kind of obvious where that led both Lucretia and him.  
> Taako - when the IPRE arrived, both Taako and Kravitz got soulmarks! Istus was so excited for her girlfriend's son.  
> Taako has the equivalent of a white ink tattoo of a perching raven, right on his hip so it sits on the waistband of some of his clothes lol.  
> When Taako isn't fully inoculated, Krav's mark is three things: an image of what appears to be Taako, a frying pan, and the gay pride flag. The frying pan gets smaller after Glamour Springs (it almost disappears for a bit). When he finds the umbrastaff, that joins Krav's mark, small like the pan. After Story and Song, Krav's mark is an image of Lup, a frying pan, the gay pride flag, and the star that's on the tip of Angus's wand. A small raven for Kravitz joins to perch on the flag eventually.


End file.
